Domestic Violence Shelters Get Funds At Last

Domestic violence shelters were one of the social service groups hardest hit by the budget impasse. But $18 million for those 62 shelter agencies was among funds released through legislation passed last week.

Comptroller Leslie Munger recently explained to NPR Illinois what that means for the shelters.

The measure passed last week ordered the release of $3.1 billion, which includes payments to local governments, 911 energy phone services and Lottery winners. Those payments can be made because independent state funds are dedicated to those services, Munger says.

But the shelter funds come from the state’s main account, which has a backlog of $7 billion in bills, she says. Munger ordered that the payments to the domestic violence shelters be given priority and should be paid on the receipt of a voucher.

There are 62 domestic violence agencies in the state, which operate 40 shelters.